The Lemon Index2005 Kia Sedona.
The 2005 Kia Sedona is one of the worst years by owner complaints: 99 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 258, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about brakes, it has 2 recalls, and it gets 17 mpg combined. The best Kia Sedona year is 2010.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 185 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Kia Sedona year. 2005 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 6K to 89K miles on the car (143 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- brakes complaints mostly came at 3K–15K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 5K–88K miles
- airbags complaints mostly came at 18K–108K miles
Recalls 2
- speed control 2005
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, FREEZING CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE WATER ON THE THROTTLE CABLE TO FREEZE DURING NORMAL OPERATION.
- wheels 2005
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH ALLOY WHEELS, MOISTURE CAN ACCUMULATE AROUND THE REAR HUB CAPS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE OUTER WHEEL BEARING.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Kia told dealers about
Kia sent dealers 22 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides…
- Increased steering effort
- Intermittent mil on with no fault code stored; information about dtc p1330
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3800 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Several defects some were repaired some were not...I had not made my first payment on my new 2005 Kia Sedona when it caught on fire memorial day 05-29-06.
2005 Kia Sedona owner · NHTSA complaint 10172415
More owner reports
Rotors warped at 20,000 miles. Way too soon for this kind of wear.
NHTSA complaint 10186612
Break vibration, and difficulty in stopping near accidents, but did not crash.
NHTSA complaint 10133811
Quick answers
Is the 2005 Kia Sedona reliable?
No, it is one of the worst by government complaints. It drew 2.6× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 258; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Kia Sedona year by this measure is 2010.
What are the most common 2005 Kia Sedona problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are brakes (74%), electrical (13%) and suspension (10%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2005 Kia Sedona have?
2 safety recalls (latest: speed control). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2005 Kia Sedona get?
17 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2005 Kia Sedona problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 6,000 and 89,000 miles. The middle report was at 25,000 miles, from 143 complaints.
Does the 2005 Kia Sedona have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2005 Kia Sedona cost in fuel a year?
About $3800 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2005 Kia Sedona have?
3.5L 6-cyl.
What Kia Sedona year is better than the 2005?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2014 and 2011.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works